A selection of websites explaining how Switzerland is structured and how it functions, providing you with the information you will need to form an opinion and exercise your political rights from overseas

Services

Contact the responsible Swiss representation or consulate when you want to register or unregister as a resident, when you need a new passport, have moved or wish to apply for citizenship. The entire selection of services offered can be found in the dropdown menu to the right. The contact details of the responsible Swiss representation are shown on the corresponding page.

Swiss citizens who get into difficulties abroad, also can ask for advice and help from the Swiss representative.

The magazine for the Swiss Abroad appears six times a year and provides information about what is happening at home and the activities of Swiss associations abroad. It also answers administrative questions.

Bilateral relations Switzerland–Bangladesh

Bangladesh is one of the priority countries for Switzerland’s development cooperation. Switzerland is working actively in the fields of poverty reduction, local governance, climate change and disaster prevention and management.

Key aspects of diplomatic relations

Diplomatic relations focus on development cooperation, the economic strengthening of the country and trade relations.

Economic cooperation

Economic contacts have become more intense since the mid-1990s. Various economic agreements have given impetus to this development. The boom in the textiles and chemicals sectors is making Bangladesh attractive for Swiss investments.

Development cooperation and humanitarian aid

Switzerland’s development cooperation in Bangladesh is aiming at a lasting reduction in poverty. One priority is optimising the living conditions of the poorest by improving the employment opportunities and by providing solid training courses and access to the labour market. Another priority for Switzerland is the promotion of good governance at local level.

Floods, cyclones and droughts repeatedly devastate Bangladesh. For that reason, Bangladesh is one of the eight countries in Switzerland’s development cooperation for which the issue of “disaster risk reduction” (DRR) is systematically rooted in the programmes and projects.

Swiss nationals in Bangladesh

In 2012, 96 Swiss nationals were living in Bangladesh.

History of bilateral relations

Ever since Bangladesh became independent in 1971 and diplomatic relations were established in 1972, bilateral relations have been dominated by development cooperation. In 1976, for instance, an agreement on technical cooperation was signed and in 1981 the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) opened a coordination office in Dhaka. In 2005, Switzerland opened an embassy in the capital, Dhaka. Up until then, Bangladesh had been placed under the Swiss embassy in New Delhi.